Gordon came from an open-wheel background, he's originally a West-coaster, he got into Cup at a young age and into good equipment very early on--and basically started kicking everyone's rear. In fact, he won too much, and the fans did not like it, especially given his background. "Anyone but Gordon" was frequently-seen T-shirt logo for years.
The same thing is happening now to Jimmy Johnson. He also has the added disadvantage of his affiliation with Jeff Gordon.
Gordon started racing go-karts at age 5. He ran quarter-midgets and sprint cars. No matter what he was racing, it was always against guys several years older than him...and he very frequently beat them. For a lot of years, it was really just he and his step-dad. I think it took him a bit of time to really getting a good understanding of the team concept in NASCAR; and he did get into it pretty young, and he just simply wasn't mature yet. (Kind of like Kyle Busch.)
AHA - things are beginning to be more clear. Let me see if I have a grasp on the underlying factor.
NASCAR is perceived to be a "Southern" sport and anyone that come from anywhere other than the South is considered an "outsider" and, therefore, not worthy of being recognized as a champion. It would be OK if the driver were a "homeboy" but otherwise......
Hmmmm, kinda makes the whole "Southern Thing" a little questionable, doesn't it? Still fighting the Civil War on the track.
Not that I'm judging anyone. Just want to understand the factors that influence the thought.
Perhaps a better way to put it would be that NASCAR started in the South by Southerners and they feel they have some degree of "ownership" and they don't take kindly to an outsider coming in and, in their mind, taking it away from them.
There are some tracks more in the North(east )that have a pretty long history with NASCAR, but everything in the West is really pretty recent by comparison.
AD - Justgreat can give you the synopsis on Jeff Gordon. I posted last year on why I thought some people didn't like jeff Gordon and one of the reason was he didn't pay his dues. I never claimed that but he thought I did and sounded better than Tim (Randy Quaid) in Days of Thunder when he rattled off cole Trickle's stats (LOL).
I got to see him race at Angel Park here in Wisconsin (midgets) but I did get to see Tony Stewart race. It's a 1/3 mile clay track. I used to go every Sunday night but haven't in quite a few years. Mostly watch NASCAR and local racing. The open wheels lost me when they split but I am starting to become interested again. I really like the WoO and the late models that run on dirt as well.
Speaking of dirt/clay my dad told me that Ocala Soeedway is going back to clay. He said they are going to put 2 feet of clay on top of the pavement rather than rip it up. I know David Reutimann and his dad raced there back when it was originally dirt.
How rude of me Rock. I'll just have a cup of Joe, thanks...bluejay
Rock - I know what you mean re: "us vs. them". I lived in Huntsville, AL for about 2 years back in the late 90's. there was some of that then, mostly in college football. I guess there still is and always will be. Wonder why that is. Out here in the west (was born in Denver) we just don't have that kind of thing. Maybe it's because the west is "populated" with people from all over the country.
Art calls the Amazon over to his booth and orders another Diet Coke (his eleventh), tells the Amazon that the Chicken Fingers were just right, then strolls over to the jukebox. Dropping a couple of coins in, Art punches up what he feels is music that will get the joint rockin'. The juke box shudders, lights blinking and strobing, and begins to jiggle up and down as "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" by BTO throbs out of the speakers.
So Cat - does that mean that the Southerners don't want anyone racing in their sport that didn't run moonshine from the time they were weaned?
Well, Art, you might have to pose that question to a Southerner (I'm only about 50 miles this side of the Canadian border...and I don't know squat about running moonshine.)
Several of the top guys running now that are from outside the traditional NASCAR region.
Art, since you are seeking information on Gordon and bluejay already mentioned it I will repost something I wrote last year which will give you some history on him that I'm sure most here really don't care to know..LOL
Back when Gordon entered the sport they made it no secret that he wasn't welcome to NASCAR, that they didn't want this young snot nosed California pretty boy coming into their arena thinking he could compete with the likes of Dale Earnhardt and company, and when he not only competed with the best of them but dominated them right out of the gate it only added fuel to the already raging fire.. I doubt that he will ever be accepted by many of the old timers in the "good old boys" NASCAR family as one of their own or as one of the best Drivers to ever circle the track, not because he isn't but because to this day they would rather live in denial and make excuses for his success than to accept it..
Knowing this and knowing that no matter what facts or proof I present some people just don't care to hear it or accept it as fact, I am writing this post for some of the newer or younger fans who have always been told that Jeff Gordon's only as good as he is because of his superior equipment or because NASCAR cheats for him, or that _____ fill in the blank. the list of reason's is endless to the haters.
As it is impossible to really ever say who was/is the best ever is in any sport.. was the babe the best? was Jordon the best ? who was the best Running Back ? you get my point this will always be debated with no definitive answer, so I'm not going to sit here and give you my opinion on who's really the best ever in this sport or any other sport but I will do my best to clear up some of the deluded facts and inaccuracies that I believe have been passed down by the Gordon deniers.
History is full of child prodigies who excelled in their chosen fields: Bobby Fischer, Mozart and Tiger Woods to name a few.. I think in time Jeff Gordon will be added to this list as he has proven himself to be an exceptionally gifted indivisional when it comes to the sport of driving, were he has always competed at a level above the rest of his competition from the time he was five years old when he begun racing Quarter Midget cars at an age when most children are still relying on training wheels. he won his first of three Quarter Midget championships by the time he was 8.
before he was old enough to get a driver's license ( age 16 the only one ever to drive under 18 ) he begun racing open-wheel sprint cars against men twice his age. but that didn't intimidate him as he won over 100 races and the USCA Midget Title, becoming the youngest driver to ever hold the honor. Jeff moved to USAC's Silver Crown Division and became the youngest driver to win that championship as well. He had won more than 600 events in open-wheel before moving on to NASCAR.
No one in NASCAR History had or has won four Championships by the age of 30.. not Richard petty, not Dale Earnhardt, in fact Earnhardt was nearly 40 when he won his 4th.
heres some facts that might dispel the myth that Gordon began his Cup career with a silver spoon in his mouth by driving for Rick Hendrick and the best equipment available at the time in the sport is the fact that Rick Hendrick had NEVER WON a Championship prior to Jeff coming aboard, Junior Johnson had won 6 and Richard Childress had just reeled off 6 of his own in the previous 9 years, then Gordon showed up and HMS won 4 Championships in a row, one Championship was won by Terry Labonte but Gordon finished that season with the most victories, poles and laps led and just 37 points behind him, in fact Gordon won more races than any other driver in that four year period. so I ask you did HMS make Gordon better or did Gordon make HMS better?
I hate to bore anyone with facts and statistics but facts are facts so below is some of Gordon's racing Career highlights ..
1978- WINS WESTERN STATES CHAMPIONSHIP by Winning 35 main events
1979- WINS 1st GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP winning 52 events
1980- WINS 2nd GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP with 46 wins in 50 events.
1981- WINS 3 CALIFORNIA STATE MONZA CHAMPIONSHIPS.
1982- WINS 3rd GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.
1983- WINS 4th GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.
1984- WINS LIGHT A CHAMPIONSHIP.
1985- YOUNGEST driver ever to make their Pro Sprint Car Debut at 13 years old
1986- Drove Sprint cars in New Zealand & Australia
1987- YOUNGEST driver ever to compete in the World of Outlaws
1988- Last year in World of Outlaws Finishes season at Eldora in the Kings Royal
1989- USAC MIDGET ROOKIE OF THE YEAR.
1990- USAC NATIONAL MIDGET CHAMPION, YOUNGEST in history.
1991- BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR and YOUNGEST Driver Ever to Win the USAC SILVER CROWN DIVISION NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.
1992- Sets Busch records for poles in a single season with 11, and for season total Money winnings, start racing in Winston Cup and get his 1st pole.
1993- WINSTON CUP ROOKIE OF THE YEAR, First driver ever to win Rookie of the Year in both Cup & BGN Divisions.
1994- Won more money than any other NASCAR driver $1,607,010 while winning Winston Select, Coca-Cola 600, and the Inaugural Brickyard 400.
1995- WINS 1ST WINSTON CUP CHAMPIONSHIP, YOUNGEST driver in modern era to do it with 7 victories, 8 poles, 23 top 10 finishes.
1996- Wins ESPY for Best Driver and True Value Man of the Year Award with 10 Victories, 5 Poles, Finished 2nd in the points only 37 behind teammate Terry Labonte.
1997- WINS 2ND WINSTON CUP CHAMPIONSHIP with 10 victories, 22 top 5 finishes and 23 top 10 finishes, becomes the Youngest driver to win the Daytona 500.
1998- WINS 3RD WINSTON CUP CHAMPIONSHIP with 13 victories, 7 Poles, 26 top five finishes & 28 top 10 finishes.
1999- YOUNGEST driver to win Daytona 500 twice, First driver to win the most races for 5 straight years. finishes with 7 victories, 7 Poles, led 1,320 laps.
2000- YOUNGEST driver to achieve 50 career wins, Set record for 6 straight road course wins.
2001- WINS 4TH WINSTON CUP CHAMPIONSHIP with 6 Victories, 6 Poles, 18 top 5 and 24 top ten finishes, Won both The Winston and the Brickyard 400 for a third time.
2002- WINS RACE OF CHAMPIONS in Gran Canaria, Spain, 3 victories, 3 poles, 13 top 5 and 20 top 10 finishes, Finishes 4th in Points.
2003- Led Nextel Cup Series in Laps Led 1,639. Season sweep at Martinsville Speedway and 18th career back to back win came at Atlanta.
2004- Led points standings with Five wins, six poles, 16 top-five and 25 top-10 finishes after 26 races before the top 10 points were reset in the inaugural "Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup" were he Finished third.
2005- Won 3rd Daytona 500, Posted four wins, two poles, eight top-fives, 14 top-10's and finished 11th in the point standings.
2006- broke own record for most road course victories (nine),finished with two wins, two poles, 14 top-fives and 18 top-10's, Finished sixth in the "Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup"
2007- finished the regular season leading in points.. Note: if this was the old format Gordon would be leading the 2nd place driver ( Johnson) by 493 points, the largest margin of victory since Dale Earnhardt's 444-point spread over Martin in 1994.
other interesting facts..
Gordon and Earnhardt drove in 258 Cup races together. Gordon won 52 to 23 for Earnhardt, and Gordon finished ahead of him 143 times to 115.
for those that will say Gordon didn't race Earnardt in is prime I have compiled a list of their best four year stretch of their careers.
best four-year stretch for both drivers:
Races Wins Top 5 Top 10
Earnhardt (1987-1990) 116 28 65 85
Gordon (1995-1998) 127 40 86 98
I don't know how much more any competitor could do in his sport to get the validation he has earned year in and year out since he was 5 years old.. one would be hard pressed to find another athlete in any sport that could accumulate the history of success he has show from birth..
Thank you very much, justgreat - explains a lot. Too bad NASCAR drivers, teams, and fans can't take a lesson from the PGA and give Gordon his due. I suppose there are some jealous pro golfers that don't like Tiger Woods, but the very large majority think he is the best golfer to ever swing a club.
I think you are probably correct in stating that Gordon will, one day, receive the respect and recognition he deserves.
Art starts yawning and figures it's time to call it a night. He walks up to Amazon (does this woman work 24/7/365 or what?), gives her a hug and a few bills, says "Good night All, have a great Sunday and enjoy watching the game". Art opens the Cafe's front door and walks out to the parking lot. He stops and looks around - confusion on his face. He doesn't remember which car he drove. The cars in the Parking lot aren't familiar to him and he wonders if he walked. He digs in his pocket and finds the keys to his 1966 Mustang 350 Shelby GT but the car is nowhere to be seen.
Those dirty, rotton, @#$%&*, $^#%*@, filthy $@#%*&#$%@. Them rotten, sleazy %$&*@# stole my car!!!!!!!
Art calls 911 (to him this is a dire emergency) and tells the police that his car was stolen. The police tell him that he needs to come to the station and fill out a report. Art becomes livid and starts to tell the cop what he thinks but thinks better of it.
Art goes to the curb and sticks out his thumb to hitch a ride home. A 2007 Rouch Mustand pulls over (what a coincidence) and the passenger window rolls down. Art bends over to look in the 'Tang and is suprised to see a nubile young thing with long raven black hair and twinkling eyes say, "Hey Baby, need a ride? I'm headed wherever you're going". Art smiles, gets in the Mustang and says, "I'm headed home for a good night's sleep". The girl says, "Sounds good to me, but I won't guarantee either of us will get much sleep".
Art forgets all about the 350GT as he and the girl head for his house.
